uncertainty

uncertainty — noun

1. the feeling or situation of not knowing what is true, what will happen, or what

1.nounB2
Definition

the feeling or situation of not knowing what is true, what will happen, or what to believe; also used for a particular fact or event that no one can be sure about

Example

Linh felt a deep uncertainty about whether she had made the right career choice.

uncertainty + about + whether-clause for expressing doubt

The uncertainties of starting a new business kept Hiro awake at night.

plural form: uncertainties (countable uses for specific unknown factors)

Common collocations
  • great uncertainty
  • deep uncertainty
  • considerable uncertainty
  • economic uncertainty
  • political uncertainty
  • uncertainty about/over/as to
  • uncertainty whether
  • reduce uncertainty
  • face uncertainty
  • live with uncertainty
Synonyms
  • doubt

    more specific to a questioning or skeptical state of mind; uncertainty is broader and can describe a situation rather than a personal feeling

  • confusion

    focuses on being unable to understand or distinguish things clearly, while uncertainty is more about lack of knowledge or predictability

  • hesitation

    refers to a pause or delay in action caused by doubt, whereas uncertainty describes the underlying state of mind itself

Antonyms
  • certainty

    the opposite state of being completely sure or having no doubt

Grammar Patterns

uncertainty + about/over/as to + noun/wh-clause

uncertainty + whether/if clause

uncertainties + of + noun phrase (plural countable)

Usage Note

Uncertainty is most often uncountable when referring to a general state of doubt ('There is widespread uncertainty about the new policy'). The plural form uncertainties is used to name specific things that are unknown or undecided ('Every plan has its uncertainties'). The singular countable form an uncertainty exists but is far less common than the uncountable or plural uses.

Common Mistakes

There is uncertainty of the outcome.
There is uncertainty about the outcome.
The standard preposition after uncertainty is about, over, or as to, not of.
I have many uncertainties about my career choice.' (when describing a general feeling)
I have a lot of uncertainty about my career choice.
Use the uncountable form for a general feeling of doubt; reserve the plural for specific unknown factors.
The uncertainty weather made us stay home.
The uncertainty about the weather made us stay home.
Uncertainty is a noun, not an adjective; use it with a preposition to connect to the topic.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Uncertainty, doubt, confusion, and hesitation all relate to a lack of sureness, but they differ in scope and focus. Uncertainty is the broadest term — it can describe a personal feeling ('I felt uncertainty about the future') or an external situation ('The economic uncertainty worried investors'). Doubt is more personal and questioning: when you doubt something, you actively question whether it is true or right, often with a skeptical mindset. Confusion involves being unable to understand or see things clearly — a mental muddle rather than a lack of prediction. Hesitation is about action: you pause or delay because you are not ready to decide or move forward. For example: 'She had doubts about his honesty', 'The instructions caused confusion among the students', and 'He showed hesitation before accepting the job offer.' In everyday use, uncertainty is the most neutral and general of the four.

doubt ↗confusion ↗hesitation ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a period of uncertainty
  • a sense of uncertainty
  • an atmosphere of uncertainty
  • weeks/months of uncertainty
  • reduce uncertainty

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Uncertainty is formed from the adjective uncertain (meaning 'not sure') plus the noun suffix -ty, which turns an adjective into a noun describing a state or quality. The word uncertain comes from the prefix un- ('not') attached to certain, which goes back to Latin certus, meaning 'sure, settled, decided'. The word has been used in English since the late 1300s to describe a state of doubt or unpredictability.